When summer heat and humidity really hit, cold showers and box fans can only do so much. At some point, if you want to be comfortable, you actually need to actually cool the air in your home. Without central air conditioning, this can be a real struggle.
Central air is an incredible luxury with one major, potentially business-offending flaw: it uses an incredible amount of electricity, and the hotter it is outside, the more it needs. Almost every alternative to central air is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than the original. With the exception of whole house fans, which they sound like exactly, all of these solutions are designed to cool individual rooms as needed. This minimizes energy costs and offers a lot of flexibility so even tenants have some options to brave the heat this summer.
Ceiling fans
A good ceiling fan can make a huge difference in hot, sticky weather. It’s easy on the electricity bill and affordable enough that you may be able to convince your landlord to choose one. Just make sure yours is properly aligned: Counterclockwise is best for cooling.
Fan fan
One step up from a ceiling fan is a fan. These are typically used in bathrooms for humidity control, but can also be used Move the air from a cooler area of your home to a hotter one. Fan fans range anywhere from $ 100 to $ 200 (without installation), which is less expensive than many other options. However, as FamilyHandyman.com points outA fan will only work if you have “plenty of cool air that is easily accessible to your hot space”.
G / O Media can receive a commission
Single room air conditioners
We all know and love (or at least tolerate) the classic “Diaper Rattler” AC unit, but you need the right type of window to use one. These two other options work where window units don’t.
Portable AC devices
These air conditioners vent through a window and are usually mounted on casters so that they can be moved from room to room. They’re easy to install (and uninstall), however They’re pretty expensive upfront and tend to use more electricity than other units with similar cooling capacity. If you’re cooling a studio apartment and your lease prohibits even a semi-permanent AC installation, a portable device is a good choice.
In-wall AC devices
If you are able to cut holes in walls, In-wall AC devices offer at least two major advantages about their window-mounted and portable counterparts: They are more energy efficient and do not take up valuable window space. The installation process isn’t exactly DIY-friendly, however – you should involve a professional, which adds to the cost.
Channelless mini-split system AC devices (“mini-splits”)
Mini-splits are basically central air for people who cannot have central air. How they work: according to BobVila.com::
Mini-split systems usually consist of two separate units: an indoor evaporator (with fan and cooling coil) and an outdoor condenser. The two parts are connected by flexible hoses that carry the cooled refrigerant from the outdoor compressor to the indoor unit for distribution. Since no lines are required, a mini-split is particularly suitable for older houses and new room additions.
As with other single room AC devices, mini-splits allow you to cool specific rooms. The main difference is that you can run multiple units on one compressor that uses less power than the same number of individual units. A good mini split system doesn’t come cheap, but it’s an excellent (and surprisingly energy efficient) way to keep the hottest rooms in your home cool for years.
Whole house fans
If you own an attic home, you may be able to cool it down with a whole house or attic fan – with a heavy emphasis on May. A detailed guide for whole house fans from BobVila.com explains that this old-school cooling technique can cool large homes at a fraction of the cost of central air, but only under very specific circumstances.
Whole house fans work by forcing hot air up and out of your house (usually through the attic) while breathing cool air through open windows below. At night, open the windows and turn on the fan. In the morning you close everything. Unfortunately, this simple and effective system has a fatal flaw that is the BobVila.com guide formulates clearly:
Because whole house fans draw fresh outside air into the house but don’t dehumidify it, they work best in climates where the humidity outside is already relatively low. … A whole house fan is not advisable in Pensacola, Florida, which has an average humidity of 72.5 percent, but you could go to places like Phoenix (which has an average humidity of 36.6 percent) or Las Do something good in Vegas (30.3 percent).
In other words, if you live in an attic home in a dry climate with low nighttime temperatures in summer and mild winters – because leaky fans can cause heat loss – a whole home fan might be for you. But if moisture is an issue, don’t waste your time just on fans.
This is a good reminder to take into account your specific needs. Depending on your climate, housing materials, and ability to make changes, some of these solutions make more sense than others. Think about what you want, what you need, and what you can actually do, and then take it from there.
This article was originally published on July 10, 2013. It was updated on May 24th, 2021 with new links, a new photo, a new section on ceiling fans, and updated information. It has also been edited to reflect Lifehacker’s current style guidelines.
